According to the Supreme Court, a class action suit filed against AT and T U verse did not push through since the plaintiffs acceded to arbitration rather than legal action in the event of any problem encountered with the product or dissatisfaction with the service.

The Supreme Court refused to hear arguments and immediately dismissed the case filed by four plaintiffs who claimed that they have been denied a fair due process. An article in Law360 confirmed that both the high court and two lower courts settled for AT&T’s defense that the plaintiffs all approved of the arbitration clause stated through a pop-up clickwrap agreement at the time of purchase. Apparently, the plaintiffs submitted to clicking a required button saying that they agree with the terms of service prior to their transaction.

According to the said article, the class suit represented more than two million subscribers of AT and T U verse high bit-rate DSL technology. The arguments include fraud, breach of contract and other violations resulting from an inability to watch different shows on different TVs, failed phone connectivity, systematic defects that causes slow connections and service interruptions as well as freezing of movies and high definition channels.

In a separate complaint made in August 2010 in the Western District of Oklahoma, the plaintiffs alleged that the poor service rendered by AT and T U verseshowed a willful and intentional decision to sacrifice quality in favor of greater profits. It also said that the company had purposely scrimped on their system’s basic infrastructures.

An Oklahoma judge also dismissed that claim following the arbitration clauses within AT&T’s contract which states that consumers cannot sue the company. Instead, they would have to settle for arbitration shall complaints of these types arise. In the same manner, an appeals court and the Supreme Court made similar rulings that ended the matter effectively.

When asked for the company’s reaction regarding the court decision, Kuriko Hasegawa, AT&T Spokeswoman, was pleased to express the company’s concord with the Court decision. According to her, the company believed that the claims and arguments made in the complaints and petitions have no basis at all.

Considering AT&T u-verse? AT&T not only often makes it possible for potential customers to take advantage of special promotional discounts, but AT&T also lets other third parties to advertise coupons plus offers. Clients can find an AT&T U-verse coupon code from a site just like http://couponcodecity.wordpress.com and save money on new U-verse services.

Business News Daily writer Kim Ann Zimmermann wrote an article that gives advice to businesses on how they can maximize the potential of their coupon design and distribution. The key factor for businesses in designing a coupon strategy is whether the company is small or big. If the company is small, they may want to limit the number of coupons and know exactly when it is most beneficial for them to be handed out. This is crucial, because it would be especially devastating to a small business if they allowed coupons at a time when they are usually busy.

Depending on the product you offer, the coupon or promo code can be a buy one, get one free or provide the customer with some sort of discount. A small business may not want to do either of these things. Instead, they can include other services for free. One example given was free parking.

The key to this whole process is accumulating knowledge about your company and the customers you serve. A company needs to make sure it can handle all the new business the coupons are expected to generate. It would be really bad if customers show up with the coupon and were not able to get the offer they expected. The idea that knowledge is power is applicable to any size company, but it is especially important for the smaller businesses. The risks are higher for them.

During his State of The Union address, President Obama openly praised the collaboration between P-Tech (Pathways in Technology), New York City schools, IBM, and the City University of New York. The President stated ““We need to give every American student opportunities like this.” So, what exactly is P-Tech?
P-Tech is a unique model of education that deviates from the normal in several ways. First, the P-Tech school system works with private sector businesses to determine what skill sets are needed now and projections for the future; then they build a program to fulfill that need. Secondly, IBM has indicated that when the first P-Tech class graduates in 2017 that it may have positions open and ready for them. Several areas, including Chicago and New York, have started five similar schools, and a slightly different version is being set up in Idaho.

Basically, students will go through grades 9-14 (freshman in high school-two years after) and will graduate with an associate degree in applied science (AAS) in computer systems technology or electromechanical engineering technology. Students are not required to complete all six years, and have the option to leave after the 12th grade to attend a four year bachelors program-all that is needed is approval from their guidance counselor.

Many of the hindrances that prohibits young adults from getting a post high school education are removed in the P-Tech model. All tuition, books, and other fees that can amount to thousands of dollars per year are provided at zero cost to the students.

Plans are being made for the Pennsylvania’s Governor’s School for the Sciences to be relaunched in Pittsburg, PA this summer, due to financial help from AT&T. The Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences, Inc (PGSS) is a non-profit organization that is run by alumni of the Pennsylvania’s Governor’s School for the Sciences, a program that began in 1982 and ran until 2008 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. AT&T has donated $40,000 to PGSS, Inc to help fund the continuation of the program. The Pennsylvania’s Governor’s School for the Sciences was created in order to enrich the studies of talented high school students, who excel in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), all areas of discipline that are prominent in the future development of Pennsylvania as a state, and in careers at AT&T.

The PGSS program is an intense, five week long summer course that promotes enrichment, hands-on learning, and research in a competitive, yet supportive environment. AT&T’s funding donation frees potential students from concerns about paying tuition to the program or room and board expenses, and instead, allows attendees to be chosen on the basis of educational qualifications and merit. This program is often a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for high school students who are academically focused on STEM educational areas. One extended benefit of the PGSS program is the networking opportunities available both during and after the yearly culmination of the program. PGSS alumni often retain networking and business connections to those they meet while in attendance at PGSS. Another focus for those behind PGSS, Inc is to encourage women and minorities to pursue a career in a STEM field.

Both AT&T and the state of Pennsylvania are looking to their future while recognizing the beneficial opportunities for everyone involved in the Pennsylvania’s Governor’s School for the Sciences.

Interested in AT&T? Sign up for U-verse service with an ATT Uverse coupon code .

George Washington High School has been in existence since 1919. It is located in the Washington Heights section of New York City. Housing grades 9-12, it is home of the Trojans and Lady Trojans. It is known for its exceptional academics and for educating students well for post high school career choices. School colors are black, orange and red. There have been many well known alumni, including Harry Kissinger (former U.S. Secretary of State and award winner of the Nobel Peace Prize), Manny Ramirez (professional baseball player) and Harry Belafonte (actor and singer).

The George Washington High School is divided into four academics, located on four different floors of the school. On the first floor of the school, students can study in the High School for Media and Communications. The next floor is dedicated to the curriculum of the High School for International Business and Finance. On the third floor is the High School for Health Careers and Sciences. For those students who want to go into the legal field, the fourth floor contains the High School for Law and Public Service.

Being in high school can get a bit mundane, even in the best of conditions. To fight against the student body feeling glum about being in school so many hours a day, the faculty got together and decided to spice things up a little for the student body. The school is known for the beautiful murals painted all over. These paintings are there to serve as motivation and inspiration for the students to have a little cheer during their days at the school. There is also a hospital, New York Presbyterian Hospital, located on the first floor of the school.

Finally, the George Washington High School has plenty of extracurricular activities for the students to enjoy. There are many sports teams the students can join and/or support, including football, basketball, softball, volleyball and cheerleading. There is also a rooftop garden on top of the school for both the faculty and students to enjoy.

With so many negative problems that the youth in New York City face, it is nice to know that they have a school that is challenging and rewarding in which to get involved. The George Washington School enables students to get a top notch education and also allows them to nurture their creative and competitive natures.

Manny Ramirez is one of Major League Baseball’s most prolific yet controversial players. To date, he has had twelve All-Star Game appearances, nine Silver Slugger awards, and his 21 grand slams place him third on the all-time list. He is one of only 25 players to hit over five hundred home runs over his career, and he has hit 28 post-season homers, more than any other player in Major League Baseball history.

Yet his career has also been marred by scandal. In 2003, Ramirez allegedly tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. In 2009, he was suspended for fifty games for taking a drug known to restart testosterone production after steroid usage, and in 2011, he was found in violation again and opted to retire rather than face a potentially positive drug test, although he was reinstated with a fifty game suspension.

Although many baseball fans know about Manny’s incredible achievements as well as his shortcomings, many fans are unfamiliar with his background. Before he played for the Indians, Red Sox, Dodgers, White Sox, Devil Rays, and currently the A’s, Manny was a George Washington Trojan.

Ramirez was born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. His family would later move to New York City, specifically to the Washington Heights neighborhood far on the Upper West Side. Washington Heights was a neighborhood full of Dominican immigrants, and still maintains a strong Dominican presence today.

Manny attended George Washington High School and played for the Trojans baseball team. Even then, his stat-line and skill level were unbelievable. Ramirez made the All-City baseball team three years, and as a senior in 1991 he was crowned with the title of New York City Public School Player of the Year. That year, he batted an unheard of .650, including 14 home runs in just 22 games. He was known as an extremely talented, yet humble kid who just wanted to hang out with his teammates.

Ramirez would not graduate from George Washington High School, because at the age of just 19 years old, he was drafted with the 13th pick in the first round of the MLB draft by the Cleveland Indians and was signed with a $250,000 bonus. He would get called up to the major leagues in 1993, and was awarded the runner up for Rookie of the Year.

Here are the top ten New York City schools based on test scores reported in math and reading. The percentage of students who passed the exams reflects their place on the list.

P. S. 188, Kingsbury School
This school is at the top of the list and is located at 218-12 Hartland Ave. The school covers kindergarten through grade five. Ninety-four percent of the students at Kingsbury school passed the math exam. They had slightly fewer pass on the reading test than the math, but still it was a healthy ninety-two percent.

P. S. 234, Independence School
Located at 292 Greenwich Street, the Independence School allows children from pre-kindergarten through grade five to attend. Their math score was eighty-nine percent, and reading was ninety-five percent.

Lower Lab School
The Lower Lab School is on 1700 Third Avenue at 96th Street. The children who attend are pre-kindergarten through grade five. The math score for the school was an even ninety percent while the reading was at ninety-three percent.

P.S. 184, Shuang Wen School
The Shuang Wen is at 293 E. Broadway. They accept children from pre-kindergarten through the fifth grade there. The math average for the children there is ninety-four percent and reading is eighty-five percent.

P.S. 94, David Porter School
The David Porter School is located at 41-77 Little Neck Parkway. The children going to this school are attending for pre-kindergarten through grade five. The math scores for the children were ninety-one percent and reading was eighty-six percent.

P.S. 98, Douglaston School
This school is located at 40-20 235th Street. The kids are accepted between kindergarten and grade 5. Their math average was eighty-seven percent and reading score was ninety percent.

P.S. 196, Grand Central Parkway School
The address of P.S. 196 is 71-25 113th Street. The school accepts children from pre-kindergarten to the fifth grade. Eighty-seven percent of the children there passed the math test, and ninety percent passed the reading test.

P.S. 6, Lillie Devereaux Blake School
P.S. 6 is located at 45 E. 81st Street at Madison Avenue. Children at this school are accepted for kindergarten through grade five. Their math and reading scores are eighty-seven percent and eighty-nine percent respectively.

P.S. 290, Manhattan New School
This school is located at 311 E. 82nd Street at Second Avenue. They accept children from kindergarten through grade five. Eighty-seven percent of the children passed the math test, and eighty-nine percent passed the reading test.

P.S. 89
Located at 201 Warren Street at West Street, P.S. 89 accepts children starting school from pre-kindergarten through grade five. The math score for the school was eighty-two percent, and the reading score was ninety-four percent.

The New York City Public School District is the largest school district in the nation, serving all five boroughs of New York City. With 1,700 different schools and serving more than 1.1 million students a year, there are more students in this system than is most states. The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) is part of the municipal government of New York city, and is currently headed by Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott.

History of The New York City Public School District

In 1969, after a series of protest and strikes, the New York City Mayor, John Lindsay, agreed to relinquished mayoral control of the school system. Control of the school system would now be the responsibility of the Board of Education, made of seven members appointed by the five boroughs and the mayor, and 32 community school boards.

In 2002 control of the school system was returned to the mayor so that it could undergo reform. The Board of Education was renamed to the Panel for Educational Policy, run by twelve members of which seven are mayoral appointees and five by Borough Presidents. On July 1, 2009, the struggle to reach a decision whether or not to continue mayoral control of the school system between Democratic and Republican parties, forced the pre-2002 Board of Education system to be reinstated.

The current New York City Public School District employs over 75,000 teachers spread across the 1,700 schools. In 2000, the school system was under intense pressure to fill teaching positions, so it experimented with hiring uncertified teachers. The No Child Left Behind Act forced the Department of Education to try new and innovative methods for hiring teachers. Programs like the TOP Scholars Program helps to bring teachers from abroad and fill in the teacher gaps.

Demographic of The New York City Public Schools

Almost a quarter of the population of New York City is under the age of 18, and nearly 55% of them are enrolled in the public school system. About 25% of the children are under the age of five and will be entering the school system for the first time. That equates to more than half a million children each year.

Of the 1.1 million students that attend school each year, about 40% of them live in a household where a language other than English is spoken. To aid parents of non-English speaking students, The Department of Education offers translations of school documents and report cards into one of 13 different languages.

“Tonight I got home from football practice and Coach O called me and told me that he and Coach Kiffin talked, and that the entire staff wanted to grant me a scholarship, regardless of if I graduate early or not.“I was all fired up and told him that I want to be a Trojan.”

Burks, who also had offers from Stanford, Duke and San Diego State among others, picked USC because of the coaching staff and the chance to stay local.

“I fell in love with the coaching staff,” he said. “They are all just great people and really good coaches. I love the way that they run things.

I like this pick-up because my theory on recruiting is you get the best results when you pit your elite 5 & 4 star players with tough/hungry 3-star players in each class to create a competitive environment. Charles is the perfect example of a player who might not have the ideal size or elite talent but will overachieve through his work-ethic and attitude. Having players like that make the team better. This brings me back to the old days when we recruited overachievers like Mike Patterson, Ryan Kalil, Fili Moala, Josh Pinkard, etc.